


In a Palace by the Sea

by mylifeisloki



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Little Mermaid AU, M/M, Merman!Bucky, Prince!Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 18:20:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6294823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylifeisloki/pseuds/mylifeisloki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James has always wanted a life beyond the sea. When he defies his father's orders and ventures up to the surface, he sees a man with golden hair that changes everything. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Will he find happiness, or will he give away his freedom for the chance?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this story was inspired by some amazing art by lightningstrikes-art on tumblr. I fell in love with one of her sets and this just came right out. (http://lightningstrikes-art.tumblr.com/post/139787204209/stucky-little-mermaid-au-because-reasons-bonus) 
> 
> Never written a stucky fic before, so I hope it's alright. Enjoy! :)

The stories had been told for centuries. Sailors in particular took pleasure in scaring new recruits on their first voyages. “Be wary, young sir,” they’d say. “Be wary of glittering eyes and beautiful smiles in the water. If ‘ya look too long, they’ll drag you under and you’ll never be seen or heard from again.” Mermaids were always an enigma in these stories; breathtaking and impossibly delicate, their movements as fluid as the water they inhabited, but ruthless and cruel at the same time. They were hunters, sirens, temptations, and they were to be avoided at all costs.

The reality of mermaids was quite different, however. For as long as anyone could remember, stories had been told of the two-legged creatures on land. Men were selfish and cruel, just as likely to spear you through the heart as they were to drag you up in their nets to suffocate in the sun. They were to be avoided at all costs, if you wanted to live. Those were the warnings James heard as a child, as did every child who grew up in the sea, sheltered in the foamy waves and the deep darkness they loved.

Men were cruel. Men (and their female counterparts) were disgusting, reprehensible creatures he couldn’t have any contact with. But oh, how James wished it were different. From a young age, he’d been absolutely _fascinated_ with the world above him. When he was very young, he would sit with his mother and listen as she told him stories of sailors and their wooden ships, men and women of all kinds wandering along the shore, their lovely clothing… When she passed away, her stories went with her and James retreated into himself where he could repeat them without fear of judgment.

Over the years, he’d collected bits and pieces of their world- a three pronged instrument made of silver, a glass bottle with a tiny ship inside, a wooden… something, a little statue of a dancing couple. Most of the trinkets he’d managed to find were from shipwrecks, and unfortunately he spent his time guessing as to what they might be used for. The ship in the bottle was particularly interesting to him, because he didn’t think it served any purpose at all.

His father didn’t understand. As the king of Atlantica, James’ father sought to make his son _proper_. He sought to have James forget his preoccupations with men. But as much as he tried, James simply wouldn’t budge. As he grew up into the fine young prince so many of the mermaids his age fawned over from afar, his interests remained very much the same. It wasn’t until he was nearly eighteen that he decided to betray his father’s commands and seek out what he truly wanted; a peek at the word beyond the sea.

James swam to the surface late one night when everyone had long gone to sleep. His brothers heard nothing, his father saw nothing, and save for a few fish here and there, the sea was quiet and still. But when he broke the surface, taking a deep breath of the _air_ , what he saw was anything but _still_.

The sky was a vast expanse of stars- or what he knew as stars based on what he’d heard. The stars mirrored the sea; that was all he knew, and they glittered and sparkled and oh, he was spellbound. Pink lips parted in wonder, James leaned back and allowed his tail to break the surface of the water as well, the silver scales shining even in the moonlight. He laced his fingers together behind his head, but that only made him realize that his hair felt… quite different. Straightening up again, he tried to draw his fingers through it and though they went through, it was hardly the smooth experience it normally was.

Differences aside, James laid back again and floated near the surface of the water for the rest of the evening, either staring up at the stars or drifting off beneath them. It was a heavenly night, and he couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful- until the sun began to rise. By the time he was bathed in a soft light, the sky turning closer to the color of his eyes, James came to the decision that _many_ things past the surface of the water were beautiful. He had been right all along.

“Hey! Mags, come back here!”

James slipped under the water as fast as he could, but the noise reverberated over him and before long, he was peeking out again, this time with an eye cast towards the shore. There, running on the sand after a creature with fur, was something that was quickly surpassing the sunrise as the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. The first man James had ever seen had blond hair and broad shoulders. He ran on two strong legs, his shirt half unbuttoned to show off the expanse of his chest. With every step, his thighs flexed beneath the cloth he was unfortunately wearing to hide them.

He snapped out of it only when the furry creature came bounding into the water, barking and drawing the stranger’s attention towards James. Eyes widening, he quickly dove back under the water and resurfaced behind a rock some distance closer to shore, curiously peeking around it to see the man again. There was silence for a moment, then---

“Hello?”

Oh. He’d been seen. James’ cheeks flushed in a mix of dread and embarrassment, but as the stranger couldn’t see him, he made a quick decision to speak anyway. His father would have killed him if he knew. “Hello,” he answered, his voice sounding strange to his own ears in the open air.

Silence. “Show yourself,” the stranger demanded, not unkindly, but perhaps rather confused. “Please.”

Debating with himself for a moment, James chewed on his lower lip before hazarding an answer. “I can’t,” he said. “I’m—not decent. Who are you?”

There was a deep laugh and James found himself clutching the rock a little tighter. “My name is Steve. It’s not often I come across someone who does not know me by sight.” There was some movement, like Steve had made the decision to step into the water as well. “Might I learn your name?”

James swallowed. He was in over his head here and he shouldn’t pursue this, but he had never quite felt like this before and it was intoxicating, just knowing that he was talking to a human. He was just about to answer, but--

Another slight splash and the furry mongrel from before came swimming up to where James was hidden, pressing a damp nose into his face- and sufficiently shocking James a little too much.

He was ashamed of it, but James dove back under the water, swimming as fast as he could back to the reef where he spent most of his time. As he rested amidst the coral, he wondered. He wanted to know how Steve’s skin would feel, whether or not it would be warm and dry. He wanted to know what it would feel like to press his lips against skin like that. He wanted to know how his name would sound on Steve’s lips. He wished he could… talk to him, learn more about him…

“James.”

His father’s booming voice cut through the water like a knife and at once, James was at attention, moving to greet his father as his personal space was invaded. “Father,” he said cautiously. “It’s not like you to venture out here for me. Is something wrong?”

Large and imposing, his father had yet to ever appear anything but angry in James’ eyes. Sometimes he thought it might be because he’d lost his wife when she was so young, but… James had lost her too. He wondered if his father remembered that. “You went to the surface.”

It wasn’t a question. He must have been seen or followed, possibly even at his father’s command. James’ eyes immediately fell, but he was quick to defend himself. “Only for a little while,” he tried. “I wanted to see the sky for myself.”

“It’s _dangerous_ ,” he scolded. “What if someone had seen you?”

James went silent and that in itself was somehow enough to prove his guilt. His father circled him threateningly. “Did someone _see_ you?”

“No,” he answered quickly. “No, he—he didn’t see me.”

“You are _forbidden_ from going back to the surface,” his father said. “Do you understand me?”

James hesitated. “Father, they aren’t what we’ve been told. They aren’t monsters, or dangerous. The man I saw today… He was—Steve was--“ He tried to search for the right word to describe something so lovely and his father bristled even more than usual.

“You will never see that man again,” he decided fiercely, taking James by the arm and dragging him out of the reef, and right back home. “You are a merman, not a human! What do you think he would do if he saw you, James? Do you think he would be your friend? No! He’d capture you like some kind of oddity. That is why we must remain hidden- so the human world does not develop an interest!”

“But he wasn’t like that, Father! He wasn’t. He looked so kind…”

His father huffed and stopped there, making the mistake of letting go of James’ arm to speak to him again. “And what do you know of them?” He roared. “What do you know of the humans except what you’ve heard from stories?”

James didn’t answer, but he clenched his jaw and frowned, glaring up at his father.

“As I thought,” he answered. “Nothing. You know _nothing_.” Moving closer, he got himself mere inches from James’ face. “You will _never_ see that man again.”

Angry as he was, James could feel his eyes fill with tears and he clenched his fists before quickly swimming back towards his reef. He needed to be alone and he hoped his father would respect that. In the end, he did. But James didn’t feel any better for it.

It took another night for him to realize that unless he did something drastic, he was going to live and die right there in the water. He was never going to be given the chance to learn about the humans, and he was never going to find the kind of love he wanted. No merman, no mermaid was going to make him feel the way that one human had- alive and awash with excitement and interest and _desire_. James just couldn’t live with that. He couldn’t accept that fate, and so he sought out the most dangerous mermaid in the water; the sea witch. She called herself Hydra and if life had been a little more kind to her, she might have been beautiful.

As it was, she was fitted with a black tail and cursed with skin the color of a shark; grey and dull, with the kind of barbs on her shoulders that made being close to anyone impossible. Her hair was dark too; a thick, wavy black that floated behind her and framed her thin face in a manner James couldn’t describe as anything but _haunting_. The most notable feature, however, was the large, jagged scar that ripped down her face from her hairline to the tip of her bony chin. Stories said that it was from a fisherman’s hook, but James wasn’t sure he believed it was something so banal. Maybe she’d challenged a shark or some other dangerous creature. Maybe it was something more than that.

“My, my,” she greeted him, her voice echoing in the cavern where she’d taken up residence. “It’s not wise to go looking for trouble, little prince.”

Her voice, deep and ragged and impossibly inhuman, sent shivers down James’ spine. “I’m not looking for trouble,” he explained. “I want to be human. I want to walk on land and I know—Or I’ve heard that you can make it happen.”

Hydra let out a barking laugh. “Let’s say I do want to take my risks and help you. I can make the spell last for only three days. Got that? Three days. You’ll have three days to obtain a _real_ kiss from your pretty little human—“

How did she _know_? Before James could ask, an image of Steve appeared right in front of him and he floated a little closer out of instinct. “If you succeed, you’ll remain human. But if you fail, you’ll turn back into a merman…” She paused for effect, waiting to meet James’ gaze. “And you’ll belong to _me_.”

James tried to keep his voice from shaking. “If I stay human, I’ll never see my father or my brothers again,” he said quietly.

“That’s right,” Hydra answered, obviously not particularly worried about it. “But you’ll have your man.”

Setting his jaw, James nodded. “Alright. I’ll do it. How do we—“

“Do you think that kind of thing comes free?” She interrupted, shaking her head. “I have helped _many_ , my child, but there is always a debt owed.”

James shook his head helplessly. “But I don’t have anything—“

“It’s very simple,” she continued. “I want something small. Just a trinket, really. What I want from you… is your voice.”

He blinked, one hand drifting up to his throat. “My voice,” he repeated. “Without my voice, how can I-?

“You’ll have your looks,” she said confidently. “Your pretty blue eyes…” She reached out and grabbed his chin, tilting his head up to her. “And don’t underestimate the power of _body language_.”

James’ cheeks went pink and he pulled away as she laughed at him, snapping her fingers to create a golden scroll in front of him, a quill floating mid-air beside it. “The men up there don’t care what you have to say. They get bored when it comes to people yammering on all day. You poor boy- I’m just trying to help you get what you want. Don’t you want _him_ in your life?”

Steve’s face again lit up the cavern and James glanced back and forth between him and the scroll before grabbing the quill and signing his name before he could think twice. “Good,” Hydra praised, snatching a seashell pendant from nowhere and holding it up for him. “Now, sing for me, won’t you?”

Staring dubiously at the necklace, James let out a soft, melodic tune and immediately felt the strangest thing he could imagine. His voice was quite literally stolen from him, gathered up and pulled out of his throat in favor of lighting up the pendant in her hand. Again, his hand flew to his throat and he met Hydra’s satisfied grin with wide eyes. All of a sudden, the water around them swirled with power and Hydra raised her arms, capturing James in a bubble. White hot pain shot through him as his tail was torn in two and all of a sudden, he couldn’t breathe.

He scrambled for purchase and found none, but an unseen force pushed him up until he broke the surface of the water, gasping for breath. Already near the shore, he found the bank of sand beneath the water and carefully planted his feet down, pushing himself up on wobbling _legs_ … and promptly crashing right back into the water. Eager for air, James crawled into a shallow bit of water and slowly lifted one leg up, wiggling his toes and smiling to himself. Those were _his_ toes, on one of _his_ legs. Amazing.

Again, he tried to stand up and held his own for a few seconds before radically losing his balance and landing face first into the water again. Huffing a little, he pulled himself up with the aid of the rock behind him and looked down to see his own legs—and something else hanging between them as well.

It wasn’t long enough to be a third leg, and it hardly looked stable enough to put any weight on it… Frowning a little, he reached down to touch and a spike of something with the potential to be really good shot down his spine. He made note of that, but turned his attention back to trying to walk properly. How was he going to find Steve if he couldn’t move?

Straightening up, he put one foot in front of the other, tried to step forward, and fell straight down again. This was going to be difficult. Pressing his lips together, he tried again, and again, and by the seventh time he’d wobbled and fallen, he was beginning to think he wasn’t going to be able to do it.

Out of breath and thoroughly frustrated, he sat in his shallow pool of water and pulled his knees up, smoothing his hands over them to explore. Unfortunately, James found himself startled by a loud voice— _that_ voice. “Mags! Mags, stop!”

Before James could even react properly, the same furry little creature was bounding into the little pool of water and barking loudly, meaning that James was quickly moving back, trying to get away from him at all costs. But when Steve rounded the bend and stood at the other end of the pool, James _stopped_. Face to face with the most beautiful thing he’d seen, he tried to open his mouth and—remembered.

“Oh. Hello, are you—alright?”

He got closer and James just looked up at him blinking wide eyes. Steve smiled and he nearly gasped, but instead trapped his lower lip between his teeth and smiled a little. “Can you understand me?” He prodded further. James nodded slowly, hesitating for a moment before lifting his chin and touching his throat while he shook his head- to get the point across.

Steve frowned and crouched down in front of him. “You can’t speak,” he deduced. James nodded his confirmation and began ‘telling’ the story of how it all happened- where he’d come from, who’d done this to him… but Steve couldn’t understand and James eventually huffed, blowing a piece of unruly hair out of his eyes. “Sounds like you’ve been through some things,” he mused, chuckling lightly. “My name’s Steve. Come on. We’ll take care of you.”

He gestured for James to stand and the latter hesitated again before pushing himself up and bravely making a go for it, legs wobbling and all. But — averted his eyes. “You’re naked,” he said disbelievingly, turning his eyes up towards the sky.

James glanced down and shrugged. Yes. Yes, he supposed he was. Steve looked a little lost and he shook his head. “Sit here and I’ll get you something to wear,” he said, staying to make sure James sat back down before dashing off to do as he said.

‘Okay,’ James thought. ‘I’ve already made a mistake.’

He sat and pondered his own stupidity while he waited for Steve to return. When he finally came back, the blond was carrying a pair of simple navy trousers and a white shirt, both of which he proudly handed over to James as he stood up again. Trying to balance himself against the rock, James considered the two garments for a moment before slowly sliding his arms into the long parts of the trousers… and moving to step into the large, open part of the shirt.

“Um.” Steve stepped forward and James blinked up at him in confusion as the other man gently pulled the trousers off his arms. “You step into these,” he explained slowly, holding them in front of himself and demonstrating how to do it.

James swallowed and took the trousers back, gingerly stepping into them like said to and pulling them up to his waist, where they stayed- for the most part, at least. Steve had rolled up the shirt and stepped forward to slip it over James’ head, at which point there was a period of fumbling before his arms actually slipped right through the sleeves. And behold, he was dressed. He was covered. He was… uncomfortable, and made a face to show it. “Ah, they’re a little big,” Steve said, rubbing at the back of his neck and reaching out to adjust the shirt’s loose collar. “They’re the smallest I had.”

Wait. James raised his eyebrows and glanced down again because these weren’t any clothes- these were Steve _’s_ clothes. All of a sudden, they didn’t seem so bad and James smiled to himself, reaching up to tuck his hair behind his ear and giving the other man an expectant look.

“Right. Let’s get you back to the palace. Bet you’d like a bath, huh? And a good, warm meal.”

James nodded eagerly even though he really couldn’t conceptualize what a ‘bath’ was or what he would be eating as part of this meal Steve was going on about, but when he took a step forward, he stumbled immediately and fell face first into the other man’s chest. Scrambling a little, he grabbed onto Steve’s shoulders and picked his head up… Oh, they were so close. He was just inches from Steve at that point, and he could feel big, strong, _warm_ hands on his waist for support…

“Let me help,” Steve offered, breaking the silence between them and sliding his arm around James’ back while he pulled James’ arm around his shoulders. They walked together and by the time they reached the steps of a palace, James figured he’d basically gotten the hang of this. For the most part, anyway. They headed up the steps together and he looked up and around, his lips parting in surprise because this couldn’t be an ordinary home, could it? It was so grand- nothing like the cramped spaces he had been imagining.

“Maria!” James was snapped out of his ponderings as Steve’s voice rang out, echoing in the hall they’d wandered into. “Maria, I need you.”

Who was Maria? Did Steve already have a wife? Was all of this a futile waste of James’ freedom?

A young, severe looking woman came into the room wearing a simple gown, her hair gathered up into a prudent style on top of her head. She looked him over for a moment before turning her gaze to Steve. “Yes, your highness?” She asked.

James started. ‘ _Your highness’_? Did that mean that his beloved Steve was royalty as well?

“I—found this man near the shore. He can’t speak, but he needs to be taken care of. I think he was injured at some point, or maybe just very tired. He was having trouble walking. See to it that he’s given a thorough bath, and then have him meet me and Sam for supper.”

Who? Wait, Steve was going to leave him with this woman---?

“Yes, your highness. I’ll take care of it.” Maria gestured for them to follow and Steve continued supporting James’ weight all the way down a long corridor and into a large room with a big, wooden tub in the middle.

“Maria will take care of you,” Steve told him. “And I’ll see you later.” With a smile, he left the room and Maria turned back to James. She looked suspicious, but maybe that was just… how she looked.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” She asked him, already moving to fill the tub with warm water and soap suds. “Take off your clothes and get in.”

Left without any support, James leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the tub while he pulled his shirt off with one hand, then tried to get his trousers to drop without actually letting go of the tub. It worked, but he had to awkwardly step out of them and nearly knocked his head on the tub itself as his balance faltered. When he looked up again, Maria was watching him with one eyebrow raised.

Giving her a sheepish smile, he painstakingly lifted one leg and stepped into the tub, quickly sitting down to avoid any more embarrassing accidents. Unfortunately, the torture didn’t end there. A bucket of water was dumped over his head and all of a sudden, he hand two surprisingly strong hands in his hair, lathering up a sweet smelling soap to clean it. His arms shot out to hold onto either side of the tub as he was scrubbed down- first his hair, then his arms and his back, his chest—

The second a cloth touched between his legs, he hunched forward and took it from her, washing himself rather than dealing with that completely insensitive touch meeting a very sensitive place. When he was pronounced clean, Maria deigned to help him out of the tub and James stood there, dripping and shivering while she got a towel and began to dry him. His hair took an infinitely longer amount of time, but she got him to sit down and combed it through so it had time to dry as he got dressed.

It was during that time that James decided the terrible stories of humans were because of Maria. She was probably a legend, a force to be reckoned with, someone to be feared—

He didn’t want to wear the clothes she was giving him, but he acquiesced anyway because she said he couldn’t go to supper unless he was dressed properly. And so, James was fitted with a blue tunic and a pair of trousers that were a fair bit more _fitted_ than the previous pair. He was given boots too, and he regretted having to cover up his feet so thoroughly. But soon enough, she was telling him how nice he looked (a rare compliment that made James kind of suspicious) and leading him up to a mirror to see for himself.

James realized how different he looked immediately. His hair was drying to be a healthy shade of brown and his eyes really stood out- a bright blue in comparison to the soft, shiny color he was used to under the sea. Maybe he was being arrogant, but James thought he looked pretty handsome and even smiled at his reflection under Maria’s watchful gaze.

She was the one who led him down the hall and into a grand dining room where Steve sat at a large table across from another man with dark skin. The former jumped to his feet and James smiled rather proudly, making his way over without any hesitation at all- albeit rather slowly, since he was still adapting. “You look---“ He hesitated and glanced over to Sam, who was standing up to pull Bucky’s chair out for him, noting the way he was walking. “Nice. Very nice.”

James wanted to say that yes, he knew that, but obviously no sound came out at all. Huffing a little, he smiled and slid into the chair beside Sam, glad that he was seated across from Steve and therefore able to watch him as they ate. Lo and behold, beside his empty plate sat—the three pronged silver instrument he’d found ages ago in a shipwreck. What was he to do with it?

Thinking back, it kind of resembled the thing Maria had used to comb his hair and James picked it up, touching the prongs with the tip of his fingers- and quickly drawing the thing through his hair with some pride. That is, until he noticed Steve watching him, eyebrows raised. And Sam had the same look. Oh. Oh, that wasn’t right. James quickly put the instrument back where it had been and folded his hands in his lap, dropping his gaze for the moment.

“As I was saying,” Sam continued, turning his attention back to Steve- _Prince_ Steve. James had to remember that. “The people are eager to see you wed, Steve. You must pick a bride, and you must do so quickly if you hope to retain their favor.”

James’ head snapped up at that, and his eyes fell on Steve, who was looking all too disturbed by the idea. “I’ve told you that I’m not eager to wed,” he said in protest, though it was weak. “I won’t wed for anything less than love.”

Sam sighed as the food was brought out, though James couldn’t quite identify what anything was. There was a soft… something. And something green and circular, alongside what looked like little brownish-yellow chunks of something else. Covertly, he glanced up and watched as Steve picked up both silver utensils and sliced the meat—it must have been meat—before taking a small bite-sized piece on the three-pronged one and lifting it to his mouth.

Determined, James tried to do the same thing and managed it, albeit a little clumsily. Regardless, he had a mouthful of warm food a few moments later and happily discovered that it was _delicious_. He was so engrossed in his food that he didn’t notice either of the other men staring at him until someone cleared his throat again and James looked up, his cheeks darkening. “Are you enjoying your potatoes?” Sam asked, clearly amused.

James looked down to his plate and since he was enjoying everything on it, he nodded in agreement.

Sam tilted his head to the side. “What should we call you?” He ventured, and James realized for the first time that he had no way of telling Steve his name. He opened his mouth, though; and then slowly closed it and averted his gaze. Honestly, how was he supposed to do this?

“I bet it’s a nice name,” Steve offered. “Whatever it is. How about Edward?”

James shook his head, though he hoped very much that n would be able to guess.

“No, not Edward. Hm. Eric!”

Another shake of his head.

“Francis?”

James made a face and scrunched up his nose, but he smiled when Steve let out another wonderful laugh.

“Peter? Uh, Sebastian! No, no. Something more suited to you, I’m sure. Something else, something else…”

He wanted to scream. ‘ _James! My name is James!_ ’

“Antony,” he continued. “Albert. Robert. Christopher. Thomas. James. Oli—“

James nearly leapt across the table, pointing to Steve and squirming in his seat. Of course, Steve stopped and backtracked immediately. “Which one is it? Thomas?” When James shook his head, Steve grinned widely. “James,” he said again, his gaze softening. “It’s James.”

Oh. Oh, so that was how his name sounded. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, James,” Steve continued.

Inclining his head a little, James couldn’t help but smile in return. The meal continued largely uninterrupted. They enjoyed two courses and a dessert that James nearly licked off the dish it was served in before he realized that the sun was setting and—Well, what happened now? Where would he sleep?

Sam left shortly after supper and James was left with Steve in the sitting room, perched on a cushion near the window and looking out over the little town below them. “I’m having the maids prepare a room for you,” he said at some point. “You’re welcome to stay.”

Perfect. James headed over to the couch and sat beside Steve, taking his hand in gratitude.

To his delight, Steve seemed to blush and duck his head a little bit, patting James’ hand in return. “You’re welcome,” he said brightly. “I hope I’ll have the pleasure of your company tomorrow as well.”

That night, James was led to a plush bedroom and spent ages just wandering around. He’d changed into very light trousers and left his tunic on the back of a chair in favor of testing out the limits of his new legs. He still had a lot to get used to, but he was a fast learner. He’d be alright. Surprisingly, he slept rather well and woke up to bright sunshine pouring in through the open window, along with the smell of sea air he loved so much. He dressed on his own this time, picking out a brown tunic and matching trousers before heading down to breakfast.

Steve was already in the hall and James went right up to him, smiling a bright ‘good morning’. When that smile was returned, it was like the sun faded into the background and all he could see was the man in front of him. Steve was wearing blue today- an open collared blue shirt and matching trousers. The color of the fabric set off his eyes in a way that made James want to find out about that kiss _right_ now. Two seconds later, he realized he was staring and stepped back before he wound up leaning all the way in.

Breakfast was wonderful. It was just James and Steve this time, sitting beside one another at the end of the table as they ate--- fluffy, yellow something and crisp, amazing something. Steve was more than happy to talk once he got started. He told James all about his parents and how he’d lost his mother at a young age, just like James did. He talked very little about his father, the king, and when he mentioned the woman his father had remarried, he looked sad. James reached out to touch his arm and gave what he hoped was a supportive smile.

It was with great pleasure that he silently accepted Steve’s invitation into the town so they could look around and James could see more than he would if he stayed at the palace the whole day. There were so many things to see. Not only were humans not at all as his father had described them, but they were even more than he’d imagined. Everyone he met was so kind, offering him little tastes of the foods they were selling as they passed by. He dawdled at one particular shop where the old woman behind the counter handed him something sweet that melted right on his tongue and Steve touched his lower back as he asked for a bag of the same stuff to take with them.

As they wandered into one of the little squares around the village, light music began to play and James smiled as he looked over to find the source- only to have his hand taken. He turned back to look up at Steve and cocked his head to the side, smiling already because he just knew what was coming. “Would you like to dance?” He asked, and James nodded back at him before he’d even finished speaking.

Stepping closer, he reached up to rest his arm over Steve’s, his hand curled lightly over the other man’s shoulder. In a mimic of the statue he’d stared at for so long, Steve took his hand and wrapped his other arm around James’ waist, his hand flat on James’ back. Oh. They were awfully close all of a sudden and James decided immediately that he loved it, even if beginning to move was… difficult. Steve was patient with him, carefully leading him in a circle and smiling brightly even when James accidentally stepped on his toes.

The rest of the day was a blur. They danced until James was dizzy, but his enthusiasm never faltered. That was in part thanks to Steve’s company, but it was also thanks to the fact that James was so _smitten_ with this whole new world. It was incredible and yes, he did miss his family on some level, but… But how could he dwell when there was so much to see on land? After supper, James realized that he didn’t have all that much time left before he needed to get that kiss and keep himself a human. He’d never wanted anything so much in his whole life.

Fortunately, Steve offered to take him out on the lake and they piled into a little rowboat together, Steve’s hands on the oars while James just tried not to stare at the way his muscles jumped beneath his shirt at every little movement. The sun had set already, leaving them in the glow of the moon overhead, and James found himself glancing around at the way the water glittered all around them, the way the big trees surrounding the lake seemed to keep them away from the rest of the world. But when they glided under a huge tree with branches that brushed the surface of the water, he turned all his attention to Steve.

The prince looked so inviting in this light, his hair shining, eyes shyly regarding James like he was some kind of siren. If the stories were to be believed, he supposed that wasn’t too far from the truth. James watched as Steve stopped rowing and secured the oars, allowing the boat to just drift in their little private world, shimmering insects innocently buzzing around them.

This was it. James could practically hear music in the air as he leaned closer, and then allowed Steve to make the next move. He leaned closer in a mirror image of James and their eyes locked and their lips were just about to touch—

When something threw them off balance and the boat upended, spilling both princes into the water with a splash. The moment was gone as soon as they surfaced and James cursed his bad luck. It would figure, wouldn’t it, that _water_ would mess up his chance of getting a kiss that evening. Still, he had a day left to make it happen and he had a good feeling about all of this. Steve liked him- it was only a matter of time until they kissed and James was able to remain on land where he belonged.

The next morning, James bounded down the steps of the palace with every intent of having breakfast and another wonderful day with Steve. But he stopped just before rounding the corner at the sound of Steve’s voice.

“We intend to be married immediately,” he said, and James perked up a little bit. Was Steve talking about him? Perhaps he was in love after all! Smiling to himself, he peeked around the corner and saw not just Steve, but Steve with a beautiful, dark haired woman beside him. Their arms were linked, and she was holding onto _his_ prince like she owned him.

James quickly withdrew, pressing his back up against the wall. No. No, how could this be? Steve had been so kind to him yesterday. Everything had been so _perfect_. Eventually, Maria came up behind him and spoke quietly. “He met her last night, apparently,” she told him. “While he was walking on the beach. Prince Steve has always had a romantic heart. She swept him right off his feet, and they’re to be married at sunset.”

All of a sudden, James felt like he couldn’t breathe. He’d failed. Steve didn’t love him, and James would be thrown back into the sea, where he would belong to Hydra. This had been a huge mistake, hadn’t it?

“Cheer up,” Maria continued, touching his shoulder. “You’ll find someone else.”

Oh, if only she knew. For the rest of the day, James avoided n as much as he could. He spent some time in his room, but eventually wandered down to the shore and dug his feet into the sand to think. Think, think, think. Was he really so heartless as to get between them, if Steve had fallen in love with her? It was a simple answer. As much as he wanted to be the one standing beside Steve to take his hand in marriage, he knew… He only wanted Steve to be happy. He wouldn’t interfere, even if the loss would break his heart. At least that way he wouldn’t have anything else to live for once Hydra got her hands on him.

Overwhelmed and alone, James pressed his back to the wall and slid down to the floor, his hands covering his face as big, fat tears slipped down his cheeks. It was for nothing. He’d given up his life, his freedom, and his _family_ … for nothing. The realization that he really was the stupid, ignorant boy his father said he was remained at the forefront of his mind. He watched from afar as everything was prepared; everything from the large wedding cake the cooks were painstakingly putting together to the food being cooked and set out on gleaming plates to the guests arriving in formal attire--- It hurt. He’d only known Steve for a few days and yet he’d never known heartache like this. Never. It felt like someone was driving a dagger right into his chest.

And worst of all, it would seem that because he was only a guest of the prince, he was not invited to the wedding itself. He wasn’t given formal wear or told to show up in the grand hall or even given a seat at the feast in celebration. He was entirely left out of the day’s events altogether. Hands in his pockets, he wandered through the halls and wondered if it was even possible to run from the sea witch. She would find him, wouldn’t she? Even in the vast ocean, she would find him.

Near the end of the hall, he heard someone speaking out loud and cautiously followed the voice to a room where the door was left just slightly ajar. Silent and curious, he peeked through and found the beautiful woman set to marry Steve. She was half-dressed in her wedding attire and talking about how she was going to “marry that fool and then the prince of the sea will be _mine_.”

James frowned, holding his breath as he listened and watched intently. “And then his father will have no choice but to surrender his will, his trident, and his _power_ to me. If he ever wants to see his little boy again, he’ll do everything I say.” She toyed with a pendant at her throat- the same pendant she’d used to steal his voice.

Parting his lips in shock, James backtracked as fast as he could and the pieces fell right into place. That woman was no woman at all, but Hydra in a clever disguise. She must have seen how close he was to getting the kiss he needed to remain human and it must have been her _goal_ to make him fail. Because she wanted him, his _life_ … She wanted the power over his father, nothing more.

He had to tell Steve. But how? How was he supposed to explain all of this without a voice?

Before he’d fully formed a plan, he heard wedding music and made a run for the grand hall, but stopped just as Hydra made her way in wearing all white and looking more innocent than he would have ever believed. James watched, but as the priest went on to begin their vows, he realized that he had to do something, and do it fast. The sun was already beginning to set. He would turn back into a merman if he waited too long.

Thinking fast, he slipped into the back of the room and released the doves before they were due, sending them flying through the room and over everyone’s heads. Hydra squawked and held her arms up to push them away, but it basically did less than nothing at all. Frustrated, James opened the windows closest to the docks and the horns from the ships outside interrupted the ceremony again. He could see Hydra getting angrier, but the ceremony still went on.

Finally, the priest said a few particular words- “If anyone protests this marriage, let them speak now or forever hold their tongue.”

James stood up, moving to stand in the center aisle as Hydra glared at him from the altar. “ _I object,”_ he thought fiercely, raising his hand. This wasn’t right. Steve might not even be in his right mind and Hydra was taking advantage and he _had_ to stop this.

He marched forward and nearly got his hands on her before several guards pulled him back. But James fought. James fought as hard as he could to get out of their grip, eventually launching forward and tackling Hydra down to the floor. Of course, there was mass shock and Steve’s arms came around his waist to pull him off- but James did the one last thing he could think of and grabbed Hydra’s necklace, pulling it off and letting it fall to the floor.

At once, a strange mist rose from it and immediately flew to James like it just knew where it was supposed to be. As the ending note of the song he’d begun to sing for her escaped his lips, he turned to Steve and shook his head. “I tried to tell you,” he said quickly. “I’m so sorry, Steve. I’m not who you think I am, I—“

Hydra laughed manically as she stood back up and ripped her hair down from on top of her head, letting it fall about her shoulders with a wicked grin. Her skin became the grey he knew and barbs ripped through the shoulders of her dress. “It doesn’t matter,” she interrupted. “None of this matters. It’s _over_.”

Steve’s eyes cleared and his hands fell to James’ arms. “You can talk,” he breathed. “How—“

But the very second the sun had set, James’ whole body seized up in pain. He fell to the floor in a heap and the next time he opened his eyes, his legs had turned back into a tail- silver and shiny and inhuman. “Steve, I tried to tell you,” he said again, desperate and trying to hold back tears. “I’m not—“

“Human,” Hydra laughed. “He’s not human. He’s a merman, and he’s _mine_.” With strength James just hadn’t realized she had, Hydra threw him over her shoulder and began her escape, only waving her hand back to pull sharp spikes from the floor that deterred any rescue. The last thing James saw of his Steve was a bewildered look, and then they were outside and racing for the beach.

Again, he fought, but it was impossible to break Hydra’s grip on him. It was impossible to escape and even if he did- he couldn’t _move_ on land without his legs. They crashed into the water and Hydra’s tail returned just as James began trying to wriggle out of her grip. They were swimming away by the time someone else came crashing into the water and James looked back only to find Steve swimming towards them. No. No, he had to leave. He couldn’t face Hydra underwater! He couldn’t breathe! “Steve, _no_ ,” he shouted, but that only served to make things worse.

Hydra whipped around and hit Steve hard with the flat part of her tail, sending him back and scrambling. James was able to get away, but he lingered there and watched as Steve propelled himself forward, catching Hydra around her neck and holding her there. She only laughed, bubbles escaping for a moment before Steve’s arm tightened and her nails scratched his arms as she tried to get away.

James watched as Hydra began to fall unconscious, but he knew this wouldn’t end until she was gone for good. It wouldn’t be over until her life was over as well. Noting the dagger strapped to Steve’s belt, he swam forward and grabbed it, plunging it into Hydra’s stomach without a second thought or a measure of hesitation. She cried out and fell, but she grabbed Steve’s ankle and dragged him down with her, meaning that James was rushing after them to save Steve’s life.

As Hydra fell away at last, James was able to grab Steve’s wrist and pull him back up to the surface, but… but his eyes didn’t open. On the shore, with the waves lapping at his tail and Steve’s legs respectively, James rubbed at the other man’s chest and leaned over him. “Please wake up,” he begged. “Please. Steve, open your eyes.”

It took some time, but eventually his eyes groggily opened and Steve let out a huff of warm air that brushed over James’ lips, which had curled into a wide, relieved smile. Steve reached up to cup James’ cheek in the palm of his hand and the merman leaned into the touch, covering Steve’s hand with his own. But this couldn’t last. Without the sea witch, how could he—

“James,” Steve murmured. “How is this possible?”

James could feel his eyes fill with tears again. He would have given anything to be there, to _stay_ there with Steve where he finally felt like he belonged, but it couldn’t be now. “It’s not,” he answered, offering a small, sad smile. “It’s not possible.”

With that, he quickly shifted back into the water and disappeared from sight. When he returned to Atlantica, James still hadn’t been able to lift his sorrows. He was met by his father and kept his head down, not even bothering to fight back. Of course, everyone had heard what happened; the sea witch, the fight, the death. Everyone knew.

“James!” His father’s voice boomed around him. James waited for the harsh words he knew would come- the reminder that he knew nothing of the outside world, that he was just a child. He thought he might be locked up in the palace for his stupidity, or married off to someone before he could cause so much trouble again. To James’ surprise, his father said nothing- he merely launched forward and wrapped his son up in a tight hug, one big hand on the back of his head. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

James let his head rest on his father’s shoulder and silently returned the hug. Speaking felt wrong now. His voice wasn’t the same underwater and without Steve to answer, it hardly mattered at all.

When he was released, he offered a small smile to his father… and swam away to his reef again. There, he rested along a slab of rock and idly traced his fingertips over the grooves of the stone below him while he thought about all he’d left behind. Would Steve think of him? Would he be missed? Had his short visit to the land above them meant as much to Steve as it had to James himself?

For three days, he couldn’t convince himself to leave the reef. He ate little, and the trinkets from above that had for so long provided him with comfort and pleasure now mocked him. He could still hear the music that played when they danced. He could remember their night on the lake.

At some point, his father floated into the reef and spoke to him, but it was hardly the motivational speech he’d expected. “Do you love him?”

James looked up and nodded. “I do, Father. With all my heart.”

He watched as his father sat on a nearby ledge, nodding his head. “I’m going to miss you.”

What? “I don’t understand. Where am I—“ All of a sudden, his father waved the trident in his hand and James could feel himself being surrounded by a lighter magic- the kind of power that should have helped him all along. His smile was incandescent as he was brought to the surface, the tunic he wore resembling the water itself, and to his surprise, Steve was already there.

James held his arms out and Steve rushed forward, lifting him up and spinning him around once before setting him back down on his feet. Staring into James’ eyes, Steve reached out to brush the other man’s hair back behind his ear and leaned down, neatly pressing their lips together for the first time.

For James, it felt like everything around them had melted away. He could still feel the water lapping at his ankles and the breeze in his hair and the sun beating down on them, but nothing else save the warmth of Steve’s body against him and the press of Steve’s lips meant anything at all. When they finally parted, James gazed up at Steve like he was the whole world and everything was alright again.

The next week passed in a blur. Steve and James spent ages getting to know one another, staying up late at night talking about their favorite things to do and telling stories about their pasts. James told Steve all about what it was like to live under the sea and Steve listened attentively, eventually asking him whether or not he would miss it…

He would. There was no doubting that James would have periods of time when he missed being in his reef or missed his family, but he could still venture into the water; he just couldn’t seek them out on his own. Still, sitting on the shore with Steve made up for all he would be missing. This was the start of a brand new life.

During that same week, they planned the wedding of the year. James cautiously suggested they get married on a ship at sea and Steve quickly agreed. All the preparations were made and on the day of their wedding, James felt both alone and impossibly excited. This was it. This was the moment when he would stand up in front of the royals and anyone else gathered, take Steve’s hand, and promise to love him forever.

With Maria’s help, he dressed in navy trousers and a matching coat, silver buttons down the front. His hair was combed and gathered back to stay out of his eyes, and he was given brand new boots as well. He thought he looked rather handsome, to be honest, but that was _nothing_ in comparison to when he walked out and saw Steve. The prince- _His_ prince was wearing a white coat with stiff shoulders and gold buttons that traced down the line of his chest on either side. There was a white sash over his chest as well, and he wore white gloves to complete the ensemble. He looked… frustratingly, impossibly wonderful as he blushed and bowed to greet James, one hand resting on his chest. James bowed as well and together, they headed up to the altar to be wed.

The minute the priest gave the word that they could kiss, James turned and threw his arms around Steve’s shoulders, pulling him into a deep kiss that earned applause from those gathered around to witness their union. What he didn’t expect was applause from beside the ship. What he couldn’t have known was that his father was keeping an eye on him, and most of Atlantica if not every single merman and mermaid alike had popped their heads out of the water to witness the marriage as well—including James’ father, who smiled from where he was floating in the water. He even waved back when the happy couple began waving to everyone who’d come to see them from under the sea and when Steve caught James’ lips in another kiss, as James turned into his new husband and returned it while he was still smiling, his father waved his trident and a rainbow spread out in the sky just over their ship to mark the day.

It was a wonderful day all around. Once the wedding was through, they sailed back to shore and enjoyed an enormous feast in honor of the two princes. They danced together as well, gliding along the floor like no one else in the world existed but the two of them. And for once, James was convinced that he might actually live happily ever after.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn’t until late that evening that James realized he had little notion of what a wedding night entailed in the human world. They’d kissed all evening, but the moment they returned to their now jointly held rooms, Steve had his back pressed against a wall and kissed him… differently. James did what he could to keep up, but his brow furrowed at some point and he wondered if this was something he should have asked about. Not that it didn’t feel good! It felt wonderful, to be honest. Steve’s hands were big and warm and gently held his hips, his lips lightly tugging James’ lower lip between them…

James didn’t protest when Steve pulled back, took his hand, and led him over to the large bed either. He didn’t say a thing as Steve began undoing the buttons of his jacket and shakily began doing the same as he pretended to know what it was he was supposed to be doing. Thoughts of uncertainty and worry vanished as Steve’s chest was revealed. Over the last week, they hadn’t been able to spend too much time at the beach and so, James was eager to touch him again that way. He reached out and placed both hands flat on Steve’s chest, then dragged downward to feel the way his muscles jumped in retaliation.

Steve let out a soft moan and James’ eyes snapped up as he gave his husband a wide smile. “You are very handsome,” he told him. “I love you completely, but I think this is my favorite part.”

“My chest?” Steve chuckled, reaching out to pull the band from James’ hair. “I’m not certain, but I might be able to change your mind about that.”

James raised his eyebrows and leaned into Steve, wrapping his arms around the blond’s waist. “Oh? How are you going to do that?”

Steve kissed him again, this time pushing him back onto the bed and climbing over him to continue. One of Steve’s knees came up between his legs and all of a sudden, James was hit with this _pleasure_ as their hips came together. He let out a startled groan and opened his eyes, ending the kiss in favor of pressing his hips up against Steve again. He could feel other things too, besides the pleasure itself. It felt like the appendage between his legs was growing thicker and… harder, somehow?

The confusion must have shown on his face because Steve smiled and leaned down for a quick peck. “James, what do you know of making love?”

James frowned. “Nothing,” he answered. “Is that what we’re doing? Making love?”

It was a good thing Steve was so patient. He smiled and leaned down for another kiss, even briefly tugging at James’ lower lip with his teeth. “We will be, soon,” he said. “You just let me know if I’m doing anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

So far, everything Steve had done made Bucky feel kind of dizzy. Now, the blond ducked down and pressed a sweet kiss to the center of James’ chest, then close to each nipple, then a line of open mouthed kisses down the middle of his stomach as well. Each kiss, every touch had James squirming beneath him, his lips parted in soft, pleading moans.

Honestly, he had no idea what he was pleading for, but that didn’t seem to stop him. When Steve’s mouth descended to his lower belly, however, James felt a shudder run up the length of his spine and he groaned out loud, lifting his hips without thinking about it so Steve could tug his trousers off. Left entirely bare, he could feel his skin warming and glanced down to find that the third appendage- that _thing_ between his legs- had stiffened and thickened and was now standing right up against his belly.

“Oh,” he breathed, reaching down to wrap his hand around the swollen shaft and--- Well, that was just amazing, wasn’t it? James’ breath hitched and he let his head fall back as he stroked again, and again, and again—

“Careful,” Steve told him, sliding away to remove his own trousers as well. “I don’t want this to end yet.”

He urged James’ hand away and laced their fingers together as he crawled over him again, pinning the brunet’s hands down on either side of his head. “What do you—“

Steve’s hips came down against his again, but this time James was pretty sure he saw stars. Bare skin only made the sensations better and before long, James was eagerly pressing his hips up in turn, wrapping his legs around Steve’s waist just to bring him down a little harder. “S-Steve…”

James didn’t know what was getting to him more- the way they were grinding their hips against each other, or the heavy moans Steve was letting out into his shoulder. Whatever it was, everything kind of gathered in his lower belly and he frowned, his brow drawing together as he insistently pressed his hips up. He was so, so close to _something_. It felt like he was going to explode—

But Steve pulled away. James _whined_ in protest, staring up at him and trying to catch his breath even as he glared. He wanted more of that. “Why did you stop?” He asked, as always very open in his confusion. “Didn’t you like it? Was I doing something wrong?” A bit of self-consciousness set in and he chewed at his bottom lip as Steve leaned down for another soft kiss.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “I promise. I just—There’s something else we should do. You’ll like it, I promise.” Steve left another kiss on his lips. “But it’s going to hurt a little bit at first.”

James frowned. “Why will it hurt?”

“Because I have to prepare you first, and it’s going to be a little uncomfortable, but I’ll be gentle. I promise.” Steve smiled and reached over to the nightstand, where he pulled out a small vial of oil and glanced back down at James. “Turn onto your stomach. It’ll be easier.”

There was a flicker of hesitation, but James did _trust_ Steve, so he did what the other man said and allowed Steve to pull his hips up into the air. Exposed and dealing with his cheeks flaming up, he buried his face in a pillow and tried to ready himself for whatever came next. To his utter surprise, the first thing he felt was the drip, drip, drip of oil into the cleft of his behind. He’d long since discovered certain things about the functions of his new parts, but he couldn’t understand what the point of _this_ exercise was.

That is, until he felt Steve’s finger pressing into him. James’ whole body went taut and he gripped the pillow beneath him as hard as he could. “Relax,” Steve said easily, rubbing one hand over James’ lower back. “Breathe, James. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“But you _said_ it was going to hurt,” he pointed out, earning a chuckle in return as Steve vaguely pressed his finger in a little bit more.

“Trust me,” Steve answered, leaning down to briefly kiss one plump cheek.

James grumbled a little, but he tried hard to just take deep breaths and relax himself the way Steve said he ought to. It felt strange at first, having one, then two fingers pressed into him like that. James wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be pleasurable, but it was—well, strange. Just strange. He was going to ask Steve what the point of this was, but all of a sudden everything became overwhelmingly clear.

Steve twisted his hand and nudged up against something inside James that earned an embarrassingly loud moan as he pressed back into Steve’s fingers. “Ohh… What was that? That felt really good.”

“Yeah? It’s going to feel even better in a few minutes, just you wait.”

But Steve touched him there a few more times as he 'prepared' James for what was to come next. Every little movement had James groaning, his fingers squeezing the pillow beneath him. But soon, he felt Steve pull his fingers out and very nearly pressed back to follow them because they had felt so good.

“I want you to take a deep breath in,” Steve told him. James heard him stroking himself, probably with more oil to make that sound, and the method to this madness finally clicked. He had his eyes open and right on Steve as he was turned onto his back, his legs parted so Steve could brace himself between them. “And then slowly let it out when I tell you.”

James nodded and did as he was told, frowning in concentration as he felt the press of Steve's length against him, pressing into him. “Now let it out,” Steve instructed. His voice sounded thick and rough now, like he was trying his best to control himself. James decided that he liked it, but he still wasn't entirely ready for the way he _stretched_ at the intrusion. It hurt- he couldn't lie. Gritting his teeth, he shifted his legs apart a little more and let out a displeased sound as Steve pressed soft kisses to his chest and shoulder to comfort him.

“Easy,” he murmured. “Easy. You're doing so well, James. Nearly there.”

At some point, he felt Steve's hips press flush against the backs of his thighs and James let out a gasp, his eyes flying open. “Oh,” he let out, his voice shaking with uncertainty. It felt... good, but it did still hurt a little bit. Was Steve right? Would it be even better? “Steve...”

Steve leaned down and kissed him full on the mouth, drawing his hips back and pressing into James with a renewed strength. It pulled a strong moan from James, who broke the kiss in favor of tipping his head back and winding his arms around his husband's neck. As Steve started to move, James found himself loosely wrapping his legs around the other man's waist to pull him in deeper, wanton sounds escaping him as time went on. One single shift of their position and Steve was pressing up against that same spot inside him, earning blunt nails digging into his back as James held on for dear life. It felt like he was going to explode again, everything gathering in his lower belly as Steve continued to move, hiding his face in James' shoulder and whispering little things to him. Steve talked about how good he felt, how beautiful he was, and it felt like he far away and close at the same time.

Eventually, James felt everything come to a head and this hot, immense pleasure shot through him. For a moment, he thought something was wrong, but it felt so very natural. His movements grew frantic for a few moments, then slacked off as his moans faded into weak pants and soft whimpers. Steve, however, continued undeterred, like he hadn't reached that point just yet.

James lazily brought his hands up and urged Steve to lift his head, bringing him in for a long kiss and dragging his teeth over the other man's lips in a mimic of what Steve had done before. “You feel so good,” he panted lightly, licking his lips. He was oversensitive and then some, but still every movement of Steve's hips sent a bolt of pleasure through him- almost too much. It had him shivering, but in a good way.

When Steve finally groaned loudly and pressed into him a little harder, James smiled and accepted Steve's weight on top of him, sweaty as they were. One hand moved to comb through his husband's short hair and he finally began to relax for real, his whole body boneless and tingling in the aftermath of their activities. “I love you,” he said aloud, smiling to himself.

Steve lifted his head and leaned up for a brief kiss, his eyes softer and more relaxed than James had ever seen them. “I love you too,” he answered. “Silent or not, tail or legs.”

James smiled and together, they drifted off to sleep still laying in a heap, their legs tangled together. Happily ever after indeed.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


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